


Honour Among Thieves

by Razzaroo



Series: Ain't That A Grand And Glorious Feeling? [4]
Category: Black Cat
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1920s, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-17
Updated: 2015-09-17
Packaged: 2018-04-21 06:51:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4819388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Razzaroo/pseuds/Razzaroo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bailing Jenos Hazard out of prison had not been part of Nizer's plan for that week. But the question remains: who put him there? [1920s AU]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Honour Among Thieves

"So, bailing Jenos out of jail. Not something I thought I'd be doing this week."

"We never think we'll be springing someone out of jail, Baldorias. It's what makes this job so fun."

"No, what makes this job fun is bashing in the faces of the bastards who steal from us," Baldor dropped his voice to a low murmur, "Like all that money that got nicked from right under Jenos's nose."

"You think Jenos had something to do with that?" Nizer stopped in his tracks and turned to glare at Baldor, "Because I could just as easily turn that finger of blame on Kranz."

"I  _never_ said that but sure, blame the man who was blinded during the war, that's fair," Baldor said, shrugging, "But, in all honesty, I don't know why Sephiria wants him back so much. She should care more about that lost money; if he gets roughed up a little in the big house, what's it to us?"

"Well, he might talk," Nizer said and he turned his back on Baldor because this was not a conversation he wanted to have, "Then what would you do?"

"Make sure he only talked once."

"You are a brute, you know that?"

"I've heard it once or twice."

The police station was a low, flat building that was a holdover from before the war. One of the walls still bore scorch marks from where a group of youths had thrown a firebomb in the winter. Walking willingly into the place set Nizer's nerve aflame but there was no turning back now; he had to get Jenos and besides, the telephone call from the police station had woken their poor landlady at an unholy hour.

The woman sat at the front desk barely even glanced up at them, the tapping of her typewriter filling the small space. The wall behind her was covered with pinned notices, listing the new rules and regulations on alcohol, as well as warnings of criminal activity in the area.

"We're here to pay bail for Jenos Hazard," Nizer said, "Cash bond."

"Your relationship to him?" the woman asked, bored.

"I pay his rent."

She nodded, "I'll be right back."

Baldor turned and leant against the desk, hands digging into the edge, "You'd think that working in a police station would make someone more excited."

"I'm surprised you haven't spent more time in them."

"That's what separates me from Jenos," Baldor said, "I don't get caught."

They released Jenos near enough an hour later, turning him over to Nizer with a stern warning that they didn't want to see him back in the station again. Jenos just scoffed around the handkerchief he had pressed to his bloody nose. Baldor's eyes narrowed.

He waited until they were a distance away from the station before he dragged Jenos down an alley, slamming him against a wall. Jenos hissed in pain, blood dripping from his nose to slide down his chin.

"What did you tell them?" Baldor snarled, shaking Jenos slightly. Jenos just glared at him.

"Careful, Baldorias," he said, voice thick from blood, "You'll get blood on your clothes."

"What did you tell them?!"

"You don't know he told them anything," Nizer said, "Let him go."

"You don't know that he didn't."

"If I talked do you really think they would have let you walk out of there?" Jenos said, "If I was going to give anyone up, you'd be top of my list."

Baldor held on for another moment before he let Jenos go. He jabbed at Jenos's shoulder, making him wince, "If any of them come sniffing around, I'll know who to come after."

"Ignore him," Nizer said. He grabbed Jenos by the elbow, pulling him upright, "What did they do to you?"

"Nothing I can't handle." Jenos groaned and clutched at his middle, "He really rattled my guts, huh?"

"It wasn't just Baldor. How bad?"

Jenos glanced up and down the alley, making sure they were alone, before he shrugged off his coat and pulled at his shirt. His chest was a mosaic of bruising, blotched dark red and purple. He hissed when Nizer pressed against his ribs.

"They did this."

"That they did," Jenos said, covering his bruises again, "They were pretty dead set getting information."

"Does Belze know?"

"Of course. He can't say much; we'd lose our inside man." He shrugged off Nizer's hand, "I'm fine. I'll just have to lie low for a couple of days."

Back in the open street, he straightened, wincing slightly. The light of day only highlighted the bruise on his face, the bloody cut across the bridge of his nose. His nose had stopped bleeding, leaving only a blood stained handkerchief.

"You didn't bring my hat," he said, "Now everyone can see all this." He gestured to his bloodied face.

"Your good looks weren't really my first concern," Nizer said, "Besides, you're the one who says girls like men bruised around the edges."

"Maybe not this bad," Jenos said. He fixed his face into a smile as two women passed, curious and concerned, "Ladies."

"You been through the war?" one of them asked, looking Jenos up and down. He shrugged.

"The war was easier," he said. The girl just smiled, drawing her own coat close. "You do jazz much? Because I know a guy and a place. And a time, if you're interested."

The girl laughed, "Sounds like the berries."

Nizer suppressed the urge to roll his eyes as the pair talked. Jenos bid her farewell and just talking to her seemed to have brought back the spring to his step.

"Did you even get her name?" Nizer asked as they carried on down the street.

"Tanya. She's a waitress."

"Did you ever consider that it might have been a woman who got you arrested in the first place?"

The smile dropped, "You think Rinslet ratted on me?"

Nizer shrugged, "She took your money and bolted. Sounds like the exact person who'd want to see you in the big house."

Jenos's mouth twisted, "She wouldn't. It would drop her in it too."

"You think she's not quick enough to weasel herself out of trouble?" Nizer said. He rolled a cigarette between his teeth, searching his pockets for his lighter, "I have to worry about you."

"Would you miss me if I was convicted?"

"More like I'd struggle with the rent," Nizer said, "And I'd be left to deal with Baldor and Kranz."

"I'm not swearing off of girls just because you don't want to be lonely," Jenos said. He fished his lighter out of his coat pocket, flicking the flame up to Nizer's cigarette, "Though, what would you do without me?"

"I'd manage," Nizer said. He exhaled a breath of smoke, "You're bleeding again."

Jenos sniffed and it was wet, painful sound, "It's just a bit of blood; you're used to that." He thumbed at the blood that covered his bottom lip and it stained the curve of his nail a coppery red, "It's a badge of honour."

"There's no honour among thieves, Jenos," Nizer said. He took another long drag on his cigarette and pulled out his own handkerchief for Jenos to stem the bleeding, "Just ask your lost girl."


End file.
